Monday, December 30, 2019

The Renaissance Period - 836 Words

The Renaissance Period The term Renaissance comes from the French word rebirth. The Renaissance was a period of European history, considered by modern scholars that occurred between 1300 and 1600. Many dramatic changes happened during the Renaissance. The Renaissance was a period of new inventions and beliefs. This period of time was drastically different from the Middle Ages. During the Middle Ages the church had most of the power and its economy was based primarily on agriculture. Exploration and learning was almost put to a stop. During the Renaissance days, society was transformed into a society which became more and more dominated by central political institutions with an urban commercial attitude. Also, peoples curiosity†¦show more content†¦Religion especially changed during the Renaissance. In the Middle ages people were primarily concerned with serving the church and getting to heaven. But the increase in arts and education gave people something to look forward to, and a life worth living. So, people based their lives around various other things besides the church. Because of the increase in literacy people learned that the Catholic Church only told the people what they wanted them to hear. This caused many people to break away from the church and form Protestant religions. The Renaissance produced many great minds such as Leonardo da Vinci. Although he was not regarded as a genius, he had numerous works of art such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. He also is now regarded as a great inventor. He is credited for coming up with the idea of the helicopter. He dissected corpses to learn more about the human anatomy. Another great man was a German monk, Martin Luther. He taught Biblical studies at the University of Wittenberg. Luthers beliefs challenged the church although many people agreed with his ideas. He was eventually excommunicated from the Catholic church and became a Protestant. In conclusion, the Renaissance was a time of new awakening in Europe. It includes the general loss of power by the church, an increase in literacy and education, and an explorationShow MoreRelatedThe Renaissance, Renaissance And The Renaissance Period775 Words   |  4 Pages Renaissance is a time period that starts a transitional cultural movement in Europe between medieval times and modern times. It means rebirth and begins in 14th century and lasts into the 17th century. Through out this time, many aspects were influenced by this cultural movement, such as art, music, science, religion and politics. Renaissance was marked by the humanistic revival, and people in Europe used this method in study, in order to searched for realism and human themselves in art.Read MoreThe Period Of The Renaissance Period887 Words   |  4 PagesRenaissance literally means rebirth. It refers particularly to the rebirth of learning during this period. There was a tremendous revival of classical literature and art, but in the end it was the joining of this with the intellect of the Italian people that lead to the change of the Western World. This period was definitely more than just a rebirth though, it was also an age of new discoveries, both geographic and intellectual. Both of these resulted in changes of tremendous importance for WesternRead MoreThe Renaissance Period1577 Words   |  7 PagesThe Renaissance The Renaissance period was between 1400-1600 century. It began in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe. The Renaissance time is were self paintings mostly came from. In most of the painting the people were nude. They started making the painting 3D. There are many things about the Renaissance. Renaissance means born a new. The concept enshrined in the world of Renaissance is actually one of rebirth. It was considered the beginning of modern history. The High Renaissance was fromRead MoreThe Renaissance Period1592 Words   |  7 PagesThe Renaissance Sides 1 The Renaissance period was between 1400-1600 century. It began in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe. The Renaissance time is were self paintings mostly came from. In most of the painting the people were nude. They started making the painting 3D. There are many things about the Renaissance. Renaissance means born a new. The concept enshrined in the world of Renaissance is actually one of rebirth. It was considered the beginning of modern history. The High RenaissanceRead MoreThe Period Of The Renaissance1449 Words   |  6 PagesThe Renaissance, â€Å"rebirth,† began in the fourteenth century which spanned all the way to the sixteenth century. This great cultural transition that spread throughout Europe was one of the most important periods of European history as the ideas of the Medieval age shifted to a more modern age. Throughout this period Europe experience many major achievements in literature, architecture, philosophy, and of course art. Out of the Renaissance, E urope gained many historically important artists like LeonardoRead MoreThe Renaissance Period1455 Words   |  6 PagesThe Renaissance period, also known as the time of â€Å"rebirth†, brought many new ideas from the early 14th to late 16th century. These ideas derived from old medieval beliefs coinciding with new modernist attitudes (â€Å"Basic Ideas of the Renaissance,† 2012). Of the many changes that occurred, politics and power, humanism, and the Protestant Reformation predominated. Many desired a strong central government and an end to feudalism, which gave way for the establishment of monarchies (â€Å"Introduction to RenaissanceRead MoreThe Renaissance Period3406 Words   |  14 PagesThe argument being put forward in this dissertation is that the Renaissance in Europe, with specific emphasis on Italy, during the 15th Century, was the most influential period in developing the ‘early modern’ human society. Many believe that this was due to its al most perfect location between Western Europe and the Eastern shore of the Mediterranean. By analysing various factors and sources, as well as different aspects of society, for example political factors and the views of contemporary textsRead MoreThe Renaissance Period1254 Words   |  6 PagesThe Renaissance started in Italy during the 1300’s before spreading throughout Europe in the 1500 and 1600’s. It came about because of a change in the way of thinking. In an effort to learn, people began to want to understand the world around them. This study of the world and how it works was the start of a new age of science. â€Å"The people were curious and questioned the known wisdom of the church. They began to use experimentation and observation to solve worldly problems†. (Johnson). ManyRead MoreRenaissance Art : The Renaissance Period867 Words   |  4 PagesRenaissance Art The Renaissance time period was home to many new ideas in art. This includes new artists bringing forth ideas that had yet to be discovered and made popular. New themes and types of art were also being brought forward during this period. Numerous artists had to of been present to make Renaissance art the way it is. Some of the world’s most famous artists were working during this time period, including Leonardo da Vinci, and other artists like Sandro Botticelli and Lorenzo GhibertiRead MoreThe Baroque And The Renaissance Period947 Words   |  4 PagesThe Art period went through many different transitional phases to become what it is now, but the most famous of these phases are the Baroque and the Renaissance period. During the Renaissance saw the appearance of the â€Å"rebirth† of its country. the painters use realistic portrayals of nature and the human figure by artists that were inspired by the ancient Greek and Roman art and culture. However, during the Baroque creative phase,the artwork that seemed to be unrealistic, clear and produced many

Saturday, December 21, 2019

A Brief Look at Andy Warhol - 586 Words

Andy Warhol was, and continues to be one of the most popular artists of all time. The reason he was one of the most world-renowned artists was his â€Å"pop art† images, his Campbell’s Soup Can being one of his most remembered pieces. (Rosenberg, n.d) Andy was intrigued by the sudden rise in consumer culture and mass production, which led to consumerism in America being the centre focus of his art. (Tate Org, n.d) In this essay I will be discussing Andy’s journey to success, and how Warhol’s art represents consumerism in America. Andy Warhol (1928-1987), was born Andrew Warhola to Slovak immigrants. He was an artist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who later in life, went on to move to New York city to pursue his career. (video reference) Some of Warhol’s’ early pop art images included the 210 Coke Bottles, 200 One Dollar Bills, Campbell’s Soup Cans, and Marilyn Monroe prints that were produced onto a large canvas using the repetitive technique of print making. This particular type of work that Warhol produced is something that had contributed to America’s sudden infatuation with consumerism. (Tate Org, n.d) The pop art movement was effective because people who lived everyday lives were able to relate to Andy’s artwork, as well as formulate their own opinions to what they think the ideas and reasoning behind Warhol’s artwork were (Kearney, 2012) What influenced Andy to create artwork that included film stars who were apart of popular culture, was the interest he took in film starsShow MoreRelatedAnnotated Bibliography Of Research On Andy Warhol2354 Words   |  10 Pagesabout Andy Warhol Hereunder is a list of resources broken categorically into three sections: books, video footage and interviews. All of which I will be using in further development of my research paper on Andy Warhol (a.k.a. Andrew Warhola). Following each citation I have written a brief summary pertaining to that particular material and why I chose to use it for my research paper. Although he was not a painter and could not paint very well, according to his own understanding,  ¹ Andy WarholRead MoreThe Exhibition Experience Using Falk And Dierking s Interactive Experience Model1284 Words   |  6 Pages People gather halfway through the Andy Warhol exhibition, at The Portland Art Museum, in front of a looping short film of Warhol eating a burger ending with â€Å"I’m Andy Warhol and I just finished eating a burger† (, n.d.). The exhibition, provided by the Jordan Schnitzer family, is the largest collection of Warhol’s work to ever be on display (Portland Art Museum, n.d.). I will be evaluating the Warhol exhibition experience using Falk and Dierking’s Interactive Experience Model (IEM). IEM entailsRead MoreThe Youngest African American Artist Kara892 Words   |  4 PagesBelow is a brief biography of one of the youngest African American artist Kara Elizabeth Walker. Walker was born in November 26, 1969 in Stockton, California, US. Currently, she lives in New York, NY. Walker’s dad Larry Walker is an art professor and her mother Gwen Walker is a clothing designer. In 1996, Walker married Klaus Burgel, who is a jewelry designer and they both gave a birth to a daughter name Octavia. Walker has been educated at Atlanta College of Art, BA, 1991 and Rhode Island schoolRead More Andy Warhols Impact on Art Essay3154 Words   |  13 Pages Andy Warhols Impact on Art Andrew Warhola was born August Sixth, 1928, in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He was the youngest son of Julie and Andrej Warhola, both immigrants from Czechoslovakia. After a quiet childhood spent alternately alone and in art classes, Andrew went to college. He then got a job doing commercial art, largely advertisements for large companies. Over time his name was shortened and Andy Warhol changed the face of modern art. Through his silver lined Factory and the manyRead MoreDo A Work Of Fine Art?1157 Words   |  5 Pages Think of a work of fine art. What came to mind? Was it a painting by Van Gogh, or Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans, a current pop song, or a symphony by Beethoven, a piece of literature authored by Emily Brontà «, or one by the Kardashians? Due to its objectivity, art is all encompassing: It can be anything created, written, performed, or photographed within which someone finds beauty. Conversely, fine art is exclusive and elite as evidenced by i ts’ name and the distinction between itself andRead MoreKeith Haring: Communicating Through Cartoons Essay951 Words   |  4 PagesAs children we find entertainment in cartoons. Such simple shapes and figures provide hours of amusement watching them do trivial tasks like drive cars and go to work. What if they represented more than just a Sunday morning or brief entertainment? What was Disney really trying to say? For artists like Keith Haring, cartoons become his way of communicating with people about what he thought was important and needed to be heard. Haring used cartoon figures in a powerful way within his work. KeithRead More Changes in Art History with Emphasis on the Mid-Twentieth Century3760 Words   |  16 Pagesother movements. Therefore, because of the amount of independent and integrated pieces of movements and styles, a lot can be missed in a short paper. The amount that happened in these twenty-five years is enough to fill volumes, and so, this is just a brief scraping off the top of what during these times—the most tumultuous times in American History. INTRODUCTION: The 1940’s through the 1960’s were not only some of the most socially and politically volatile times in American History, but were theRead MoreExamining The Notion Of The Found Image On The Work Of John Stezaker1795 Words   |  8 Pagesfound image in the work of John Stezaker. What particular temporal qualities do you think the found image adds to these works? Photography has always been a way of documenting time, a memory sealed into an image and held there forever. This is a brief documentation of a place or a person capsuled in time, with the history and the memory intertwined with the image. However, as the photographs age and the decades pass, the images stay the same but the memory fades away along with the audience of thatRead More Lucian Freud Essay2816 Words   |  12 Pagessymbolism. Freuds answer is revealing of his greatest strength as a figure painter: The idea of a story doesnt bother me because everythings a story. But the idea of symbolism: I hate mystification. He contrasted his views with those of Andy Warhol, who said of his own work that, They are exactly as they seem; there is nothing behind them. I want there to be everything behind mine, says Freud. His awareness that every subject has a story, that it is part of some sort of externalRead MoreSocial Legal and Economic Impact of Ebusiness in Ireland13799 Words   |  56 PageseBusiness – Negatives 33 Middle Man Redundant 33 Consumer Price Discrimination 34 Targeted Advertising to Consumers 35 Bibliography - Social 37 Bibliography - Legal 39 Bibliography - Economic 40 General Introduction This assignment firstly gives a brief overview of the history of the internet and how it provided the platform for the rapid development of eBusiness once the core applications were in place to enable it. Additionally, the assignment covers the Social, Legal and Economic Impact of eBusiness

Friday, December 13, 2019

Argo review Free Essays

Argo is a name of a movie which got Oscar for best movie in 2012. It has been done in Warner Bros production, with Ben Affleck as a director and George Clooney as a producer. It’s a thriller (120min) full of surprises and unexpected events, so I would rate it 10/10 for the story. We will write a custom essay sample on Argo review or any similar topic only for you Order Now This thriller is about hostage extraction from Teheran in 1979 and it’s based on a true story about a fake movie. During the Iranian diplomatic crisis, the CIA rescued six US diplomats by passing them off as members of a Canadian film crew who were scouting locations for a nonexistent sci-fi film. It tells the true story of some imaginative derring-do on the part of a brilliant and unorthodox CIA agent called Tony Mendez. As I already said I gave this movie 10/10 for the story, but the story is not completely true in some way. If you read the interview with the former US president Jimmy Carter, who was president at the time the crisis happened, you can see that not all is shown as it was. Carter openly admits hat 95% of the contributions to the ideas and the consummation of the plan was Canadian, but the movie gives almost all credits to CIA. Considering the acting, Argo is even bellow average in some cases because some actors in my opinion are Just too bad. If we take in consideration that Ben Affleck is a director and it is a Warner Bros production, I think that they should have found better actors. Except couple of main characters, acting is nothing special and I would not give more than 5/10 for it. You will not regret watching this movie, but you should try to find out more information about this incident before watching it, because it will help you to get better picture about situations in Iran. In my opinion the movie is not even close to Oscar, but it got it, probably because of the strong patriotism among US citizens and this story is exactly about that. All in all, this movie is a nice way to spend Saturday afternoon, but it definitely did not deserve an Oscar. How to cite Argo review, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Older generation has nothing to teach the young generation free essay sample

The mind can be classified as one of the wonder of mankind. It takes us from birth to death. The challenge of the older generation transformation of their mind to the younger generation remains a challenge. In a contemporary life, old generation and young generation are considered as an oxymoron. Some people think that the elders are conservative and Just always want to follow their own right. Some think the young is more rebellious and need to listen to some advices from the older. It always becomes a hot topic mong the society whether the old can teach the young or not. And the question needs an answer which will be revealed. First, the elder have been through many hardships in their life. Thus, they have prolific experiences about some particular situations that they have already encountered. Teenage is something that they have gone through and probably one of the experiences that they can share with the younger generation. We will write a custom essay sample on Older generation has nothing to teach the young generation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Obviously, there are some differences between teenagers now and in the past. Some blame It on the Western influences which are hanging teenagers lifestyle and behaviors. The contemporary teenagers are ones who always rebellious, furious and impatient. They are not willing to listen to any advices from others. They lust want to be themselves and follow their self- consciousness and pride. Thats why they need old generation to guide them or imitate as an epitomize example. On the other hand, some elders always follow and Impress on their conservative mind to the younger generation. Parents always set a typical goal for their children to follow without realizing the damage causes to the psychology of he child. Some children feel the depression of the burden resting on their shoulder. And some 1 OF2 cannot live up wltn tnelr parents expectatlons. The result is that they are branded as disobedient and privileges of a child have been taken away from them. Gradually, it leads to some neural imbalances and may drive them to suicide. In addition, the old school of thought is that sex is forbidden. They consider it as a taboo and will never discuss it with the younger generation. The adolescents are always curious about this topic nd they will do everything to explore. As they live in a technological era, they can find almost everything exotic even x-rated in the cyberspace. It will corrupt their mind which they can become obsess with sexuality. However, there is one thing that the young can learn from nowhere but the old generation. Its the knowledge which is passing from the ancestor. Of course, they cannot find it on the internet or in the book. It may be Just simply an adage or a quote which is meaningful and valuable and its worth more than some in the book. In this non-stop and rushing world, the generation gap is developing every day. Children are taken away from their parents and vice versa. They rarely talk to each other or Just meet every month. Sometimes, they find that its difficult to persuade or give advices for each other because they have nothing in common due to the lack of conversations. The elders may know the solution for this problem: Confucius ideas. Its mainly about how to interact with people and how to treat them. Some of the values are filial piety, men characteristics and patriotism. Its really noteworthy to learn about these things which may help the youth face their lifes obstacles easily. In short, the advantages are outweighed the disadvantages which children should listen and obtain the good knowledge and advices from their parents and the elder. The old generation may be conservative but they have an immense knowledge about life which is still strange to some young people. No matter who they are the young or the old, they should really think about what they can interact and receive from each other.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Characters in Twilight in Delhi Essays

Characters in Twilight in Delhi Essays Characters in Twilight in Delhi Paper Characters in Twilight in Delhi Paper ‘Twilight in Delhi’ is by far there most popular of all Ahmad Ali’s works and is also considered to be his English novel. What renders the novel so high status among his literary works, and even perhaps one of the best in Asia, is not only the depiction of the culture of Delhi and the life over there but also the exhilarating command of the novelist in presenting the living characters on the pages. No doubt the characters we meet are full of flesh and blood, having qualities of head and heart; likings and disliking; Excellencies and deficiencies, thus we never doubt on their very existence. His characters come before our eyes as human beings facing conflicts, both within and without, and therefore leave an everlasting impression on our minds. In short, his approach as a novelist is purely that of a traditionalist, regardless of modern approach, and fully involved in the society that he is depicting. Most of the characters in the novel are descriptive as the author doesn’t let them speak about themselves; rather he himself describes the physical traits, habits and even the background of the characters, and fully involves the readers in the description so that he can get to a particular conclusion about those characters. He has introduced so very simple but some very intricate characters that the reader is lost at analyzing them in depth. They may not look mere type characters as we generally find in literature, but with their typical Muslim back ground and culture, they are close to type character, though some of them are perfectly individualized. Even the type characters don’t look alien in their habits or disposition. In the novel, we don’t even find the minor characters described in a single vein, rather they come before us as natural as they can in any society. When we observe the characters minutely, we see that some of them undergo a great emotional and mental change and face many ups and downs during the course of th

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Investor Proposal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Investor Proposal - Assignment Example The proposal seeks financing for independent feature film budgeting to close to $200. The film ‘American Beauty’ film acts as one of the most desired examples, since the film’s content represent’s actual masterpiece sorted after by viewers. The film reveals some level of relevance based on American life hence keeps the audience entertained through various humorous instances. Since the film is a story on one of the great countries of the world, it will attract and appeal to a wide demographic of consumers from all walks of life, the young and the old alike. Such independent film will be able to provide a means of low cost investment and create high end product with possibility of more than 20% return on investment. This will be achieved through strategic product placement, unique marketing strategies and use of various companies for investment and creation of entertainment product. The nature of the film appears appealing to broad market share within global market. This includes United States market and beyond, hence promoting the product and ultimately providing beautiful returns. The initial stages of the film attracted millions of viewers which provide a good base that cannot e ignored especially when compared to less than twenty five million viewers available for top rated television shows. Our company has highly competent staff enabling provision of sound investment. The staff comprises of both professionals and learners with current techniques, equipments, special effects, and practical experiences. This allows provision of high caliber effects and digital skills giving room for production of high-quality film (Fill). Movie theatres and sports arenas will be utilized in the process of advertising products and services provided by the organization. This will be done before the start of events and also during the commercial breaks. Desk Research Secondary sources will be used for the purposes of refining the objectives and at the s ame time providing base for other stages within the research domain. The desk research will gather required information on the world film trends over the past years. The statistics will be useful source of information indicating the status within the marketplace. There will be need to identify the various film companies, brand names and at the same time reveal any important information on the various competing companies. Objectives The main objective is to examine the overall audience response towards the company’s film within the Global market environment. I. To examine how various audiences respond to the film within domestic settings II. To identify consumer attitude towards the film and other competing brands III. To identify the various promotional platforms which could be used for the purposes of launching new markets Methodology Qualitative Research The objectives will be answered through the application of detailed qualitative information. The research will focus on e xploring and establishing the nature of consumer reactions towards the film and at the same time quantitative research used in establishing the nature of impact of consumer attitude towards movie brand. The research questions and interviews for the quality managers will be based on past quality issues during film production and how they have overcome those problems. Some of the film recalls in the past was based on poor quality of the ready productions and also the wrong

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Evidence informing policies regarding positioning lithotomy patient to Essay

Evidence informing policies regarding positioning lithotomy patient to prevent compartment syndrome - Essay Example It happens most generally in an osseofascial compartment of the forearm or leg, but it may happen in the upper foot, arm, abdomen, thigh, buttock, and hand. Positioning the particular patient for a surgical practice is the shared duty of the entire group of medicos. â€Å"There are many concerns to address when placing a patient in the lithotomy position. The patient can be injured while being placed in and out of the position, as well as while in the position. When placing the patient in the lithotomy position, both legs should be moved in unison to avoid overstretching the nerves of the lumbosacral plexus† (Rank 2012). Patient positioning in operation theatre relates to how a particular patient is transferred and positioned for a specific procedure. The incident I came across in this case in related with a patient in recovery, subsequent to prostactectomy, handed over by the anaesthetist. That particular patient was in the position of lithotomy - rendelenburg for 8 hours, wi th bilateral extremities supported on the parts with stirrups. While the patient woke up from anesthesia, he appeared to be restless with complaining ache on his right leg. Though in a higher amount of analgesia, the patient complained of severe pain with passive movements. He also complained of decreased feeling on the toes and feet in the right leg. His feet were temperate and warm, and he had a palpable pulse. I noticed his calf was tender, and tense on the right side of the leg. The study is carried out to understand the Evidence informing policies regarding positioning (lithotomy) patient to prevent Compartment Syndrome. â€Å"In the lithotomy position, calf compression is almost inevitable and this predisposes to venous thromboembolism and compartment syndrome. The aetiology of compartment syndrome is probably a decrease in perfusion pressure caused by a combination of the weight of extremities against the supportive devices, reduction in compartment capacity and elevation of the lower limb above the heart† (Knight & Mahajan 2012). Aim of the Study: 1) To identify the various policies regarding positioning (lithotomy) patient to prevent Compartment Syndrome. 2) To identify the various symptoms of Compartment Syndrome. 3) To identify the various types of risk factors for growth of acute Compartment Syndrome, resultant from this kind of leg positioning. Safety of the patient is the central focus of patient care in the framework of NHS (Carruthers & Philip 2006), and all healthcare practitioners should guarantee that patients are defended from harm as far as possible. Appropriate positioning decreases the risk of pressure-connected damage to joints, nerves, skin, and muscle. The sedated or anaesthetised patient, are not capable to converse if they have been positioned in a compromising or hazardous position. Therefore a proactive approach must be taken to stop the delerious consequences of the patient mal-positioning. Right positioning of a patient p ermits the most selected exposure of the operative field (Millsaps 2006). Positioning should also consider the scale of movement that may be essential for the duration of the procedure, for example, for shoulder and knee arthroscopy, it needs considerable movement of the upper and lower limbs respectively for the duration of the process, and that the surgical field should be setup accordingly. Discussion: Compartment Syndrome is one of the problems that may occur because of the poor

Monday, November 18, 2019

The future of Cloud Computing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The future of Cloud Computing - Research Paper Example Emerging information technologies have fully transformed the way businesses, institutions, and governments operate. The technologies have come along with high levels of efficiency and reliability, significantly cutting the operational costs of the users. Vendors of these technologies have taken advantage of this adoption and have engaged in competition with each other, much of which benefits the end user. Cloud computing is one the latest technologies. Cloud computing is better viewed as a model, bringing together a combination of existing technologies that facilitate running of businesses in a different and better way. Examples of such technologies include virtualization and utility-based pricing which have been in the market for quite some time. It combines these technologies to cater for the increased technological and economical requirements of the current field of information technology. Cloud computing is a model that offers a convenient access to a large pool of shared configurable computing resources, which can be shared with the least management effort since they are only released on demand. The resources include servers, networks, services, storage, and applications. Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are the largest vendors of cloud computing. The technology has been necessitated by the rapidly increasing need for processing and storage of data. The internet has made it possible to develop such a technology. In cloud computing, resources such as CPU and storage are categorized as general utilities that can be hired out to other users through the internet, in a fashion known as on-demand.in this technology, there are infrastructure providers who are tasked with the management and leasing out of the cloud platforms (Zhang , Cheng & Boutaba, 2010). There are also service providers, who, on the other hand, rent resources from the infrastructure providers to the end users.

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Emergence Of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Information Technology Essay

The Emergence Of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems Information Technology Essay Many organizations have initiated Enterprise Resource Planning systems, using such packages as SAP, Peoplesoft and Oracle. The ERP market is one of the fastest growing in the software industry. In a research conducted by APICS, 34.5% of the companies with revenues over $1 billion planned to purchase or upgrade in ERP system. This research is relevant to indicate that the ERP market may reach $ 1 trillion by the year 2010 (Umble et al., 2005). Enterprise resource planning systems are a major investment. Companies have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in ERP software. Its implementation promotes a variety of business justifications which include replacement of numerous legacy systems, reduction in cycle time from order to delivery, and reduction in operating costs. Also, the on-line, real-time operational data that ERP systems enable managers to make better decisions and improve responsiveness to customer needs (Gyampah, 2004). There is evidence that organizations are satisfied with ERP. Based upon a sample of 117 firms in 17 countries, the Conference Board reports that 34% of the organizations were satisfied with ERP, 58% were somewhat satisfied, 7% were somewhat unsatisfied, and only 1% were unsatisfied (Al-Mashari, M., Zairi, M., 2009). Organizations have a business justification for implementing ERP systems. The business benefits of ERP include improved accessibility of information, real time access to data across the organization, improved cycle time for orders, decreased financial closing time, reduced operating costs, and lowered inventory levels. In addition ERP systems provide an opportunity to re-align business processes with best practices and to integrate enterprise-wide information supporting financial, human resources, manufacturing, sales and marketing functions. Evolution of ERP It was in the Sixties that the concept of resource planning was first introduced by software packages that dealt with inventory control capability. Material Requirements Planning (MRP) systems were later introduced in 1970s and these contained a master production schedule and a bill of materials file with list of materials needed to produce each item. MRP systems were enhanced by adding tools for sales planning, customer order processing and capacity planning that provided input production scheduling, known as closed loop MRP. In the 1980s, MRPII systems incorporated financial accounting system along with manufacturing and materials management systems. MRPII led to an integrated business system that was used to create a database of material and capacity requirements for production and this system then translated these requirements into financial information. By 1990s ERP systems provided seamless integration of all information flows in the company- Financial Accounting, Human Resources, Supply Chain Management and Customer Information (Rondeau Litteral, 2001). Challenges of ERP System ERP system projects involve considerable time and cost not only in terms of investment but also for realization of benefits from their implementation. Research by Standish Group illustrates that 90% of ERP projects are late over budget. Meta Group survey data, based on 63 companies, showed that average implementation cost of ERP was $ 10.6 million and took 23 months to complete (K. Siau, 2004). A successful implementation of ERP requires a multi-stage approach (Jones M. and Price L., 2004), and the benefits of ERP may not occur until later stages. Jones et al., propose three stages: the project phase, the shakedown phase, and onward and upward phase. ERP software is introduced during project phase and is implemented into firms operations during shakedown phase. It is not until onward and upward phase, during which ERP modules are successfully integrated with operations, that the organization can achieve actual business results, such as inventory reduction (Motwani et al., 2002). However, Spathis et al. identify four phases for implementation of the same. The phases are: a planning phase, a re-engineering phase, a design phase, and a configuration and testing phase (Spathis et al., 2003). They indicate that re-engineering business practices around the ERP software is critical to successful implementation. In their stage analysis, Rondeau et al. (2001) suggest benefits of ERP occur when ERP modules are implemented successfully and when organizations can use the ERP foundation to add advance modules such as customer relationship management. A company has to make sure that its ERP investment fetches increased profitability. The key challenge is not in managing technology, but in managing people. An ERP system changes the way people work, and for the system to be effective, the change must be dramatic. It promotes efficient business processes with the requirement of fewer people than before ERP implementation or up-gradation. This implies that some employees will be asked either to change their day-to-day activities or their services would no longer be needed. Managing human behavior aspects of organizational change also known as organizational change management (OCM) cannot be underestimated in importance of this part of the implementation process. One of the keys to managing OCM is to realize that people tend to defy changes associated with their work related activities. If the ERP implementation is a project that is being forced on the employees, then they will instinctively resist it. However, if it is viewed as a chance to make the company more efficient and effective by improving business process, and consequently these process improvements will make the company more profitable and ensure job security to employees, then there is a greater likelihood that the employees will wholeheartedly support the implementation efforts. The best way to improve a business process is to delegate the task to develop process improvement ideas to people who are most familiar with the process using their experience and creativity. Sometimes, a company is not ready for ERP. In many cases, ERP implementation difficulties result when management does not fully understand its current business processes and cannot make implementation decisions in time . In order to obtain benefits from an ERP system resulting in reduction of costs needs an organization to streamline its business processes. However, if a company is not prepared to change its business process es, it will find a large bill for software and consulting fees with no improvement in organizational performance. ERP packages imply, by their design, a way of doing business, and they require users to follow that way of doing business. Some of business operations, and some segments of its operations, may not match the constraints inherent in ERP. Therefore, it is imperative for a business to analyze its business strategy, organization, culture and operations before choosing an ERP approach. Review of Literature Companies implement Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems in order to achieve better responsiveness to the needs of customers through real-time information provided by the system, to link customers and suppliers into a complete supply chain, to provide high degree of cross functional integration, to reduce the costs and to provide the foundation for effective e-commerce (Vollmann et al., 2005). The pressure to survive in the new world order and align with the new paradigm for organizational success, namely, speed, flexibility, integration and innovation, further drives organizations towards adopting integrative software approaches like ERP. It is also a well known fact that information technology affects the organization structure (Bhattacherjee, 2000). Hence, ERP implementation would impact the structure, but this impact has not been elaborately investigated. It is often supposed that IT creates a flatter structure (Stevens, 1998). The flat structure speeds up decision-making p rocess, shortens lines of communication and aids in savings (Klein, 2001). ERP implementation benefits are not realized quickly as expected and the process is lengthy and expensive (Siau, 2004). Many organizations world over and particularly in the fast developing countries are traditional hierarchies and managing changes in structure offering challenges. As ERP implementation is an enterprise wide venture of change.It is important to understand how to manage impact on the organization structure. Two research objectives were central to this research project. ERP implementation influences the structure of the organization. Management of the change to the new structure. This paper is an attempt to examine the ERP implementation experience in a company. It drew on Organization Theory and Change Management theory to understand the transition between structures and to provide the explanations (Amoako-Gyampah, 2004). ERP represents a comprehensive software approach and information technology effects on the organization structure (Kurup, 2004) and ERP implementation success involves change management of techniques, the change management theory (Paton and McCalman, 2004) prove useful in explaining the outcomes of the case study . IT and Organization Structure The organization structure defines how the tasks are to be allocated, who reports to whom and the formal coordinating mechanisms and interaction patters that will be followed (Robbin, 1990). Organization structure has three components: Complexity, Formalization and Centralization. These components are described below and impact of IT on these components is expressed and applied to case analysis to aid in investigation of the influence of ERP on organization structure. Complexity Complexity refers to the degree of differentiation that exists within an organization. This includes the degree of specialization or division of labour, the number of levels in the organizations hierarchy, and the extent to which the organizations units are dispersed geographically (Klein, 2001). With introduction of this component of organization structure, it is possible to have wider span of control with more knowledgeable and empowered employees. Companies with IT can reduce the middle management layers and widen span of control and thereby flatten the organization structure. However, removing layers might create new challenges. New mechanisms for coordination might be needed or new process of governance might be necessary. According to the model proposed by Klein (2001), IT results in wider spans of control, fewer levels, fewer people, easier collaboration and communication. In other words, IT lowers the complexity. Formalization Formalization refers to the degree to which an organization relies on rules and procedures to direct behavior of employees. Evidence exists to indicate that developing detailed guidelines of appropriate operating procedures enhances coordination and is suitable in a stable environment (Martin, 2009). Formalization, however, is negatively associated with adoption and implementation of innovation in organizations (Ahadi, 2004) and hence it is negatively related to the ERP implementation because it tends to boast deleterious effects on the work attitudes. Centralization The decisional control in organization could be centralized or decentralized. In traditional hierarchies the decisional control is usually centralized. Research indicates that IT tends to make the decisional control more decentralized with no commensurate loss of control by the top management (Robbin, 1990). It is possible that the centralization component is related to the size of middle management although there are conflicting findings. IT results in a decrease in the size of the middle management workforce in organizations with centralized decision authority and with an increase in the number of middle managers in organizations where the authority is decentralized. Change Management The change management when linked to ERP implementation has been more focused on process change (Davison, 2002). The other type of change namely organizational restructuring provides specifics related to moving from one structure to another. The objective of restructuring is based on the companys long-range plan and the intention is to set up a structure that enables a company to be ready for new activities. However, changing an organizations structure can be difficult and successful restructuring depends on three conditions: sound planning, effective leadership and organizational commitment (Witzel, 2002). To examine organizational change in a traditional hierarchical organization, consideration is given to: Human element and informal organization. Necessity of strong management actions and inspirational vision. Sustainability of an initiative. None of available models considers all the three aspects. Informal Organization INPUT Strategy Formal OUTPUT Resources, Organization Individual Environment team, Performance Managing Change Transformation Process Figure -1 In traditional organizations, manager had to solve problems by directly communicating with the employees and was related to power and values. However, in ERP implementation much of the learning process comes from hands on use under normal operating conditions after the implementation period is over. Thus power is then transfered to individuals who are able to operate the ERP system better and utilize Work People the system resources efficiently (Aladwani, 2009). ERP affect on nature of work and training is an important part of change management practices. ERP requires users to understand that they are no longer working in isolation, and whatever they do now impacts someone else. This can create resistance that comes from a fear of the unknown and from the need of stability. There are two fundamental sources of resistance to innovations like ERP: perceived Risk and Habit. The habit of keeping the routine practices prevalent in hierarchies has to be tackled using appropriate strategies. Spathis and Constantinides (2003) have proposed a planned change model and this model assumes that change can be defined and moved in a planned way. Unlike other planning models, the four phases suggested in this model are linear and irreversible. This model satisfies the requirement of well-controlled change and strong management actions. Four phases that have been suggested are: Exploration, Planning, Action and Integration. Implementation of ERP Information technology leads to a tremendous impact on productivity of both manufacturing and service organizations. Companies have implemented systems such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), MRP, EDI, over time for improving their productivity. ERP systems have received attention lately due to more effective decision-making capability. Many companies are implementing ERP as a means to reducing operating costs, increasing productivity and improving customer services (Martin, 2009; Pliskin and Zarotski, 2000). ERP system can cripple a company, if not implemented properly. There are horror stories concerning implementations gone astray (Laughlin, 1999; Bancroft et al., 1998). Implementing ERP system successfully calls for strong leadership, a clear implementation plan, and a constant watch on the budget (Wagle, 2008). From a project managers point of view, most important consideration is a clear implementation plan and a strategy, that should evolve through systematic consideration of companys requirements and its ability to manage changes called for under new circumstances. Some of the factors to be considered seriously at planning stage are: Information needs at the operational and managerial level for various functional areas. Feasibility of ERP system integration with the existing information systems Schedule for adaptation of the new system. An organization requires development of an implementation strategy. Such a strategy, will determine how the related changes can be successfully absorbed at various parts of the organization. It has been found that the organizations that had no SAP implementation strategic plan performed poorly compared to those who had a plan. ERP implementation from countries around the world demonstrates that success is essentially conditional on adequately managing complex context of the implementation, which necessitates change management across various key areas related to business processes, IT structure, and management systems (Al-Mashari and Zairi, 2009). This highlights practical issues associated with the implementation of ERP systems. For successful implementation three basic requirements are to be met: a clear business objective, comprehension of the nature of changes and understanding of the project risk. Strong leadership and constant watch on budget are the two other, yet equally significant requirements, as stressed by Wagle (2008). For an effective implementation of ERP system, particularly SAP R/3, an organization must take a holistic view of the process (Al-Mashari and Zairi, 2009). Various issues at strategic, managerial, and operational levels should be addressed in order to achieve optimum outcomes from an ERP system. For a successful outcome an organization must establish competencies in four core areas: Change Strategy development and deployment, Enterprise-wide Project Management, BPR integration with IT, and technical aspects of ERP installation. These competencies will enable managers to effectively manage changes and direct the organization to desired goals (see Fig.2). Fig. 2. Core competencies in effective implementation of ERP (adopted from Al-Mashari and Zairi 2009). Change management Strategy Changes in an organization are brought about through implementation of strategies. Kuruppuarachchi et al. (2002) examined the success (and failure) factors and implementation methodologies that contribute to change management strategy formulation in organizations. Fig. 3 presents a framework of the change management process, incorporating change agents and strategic considerations at various stages of ERP implementation, when viewed from an IT project implementation point of view. Meyers et al. (2009) analyzed about 130 research papers to find out factors influencing the implementation of new technologies for improved operational efficiencies. They classified implementation success factors as buyers characteristics, seller characteristics, buyer-seller interface, and environment. These factors are listed below: Human resources: greater education and training among personnel; positive motivation, attitudes, and commitment toward the innovation. Structure: an adaptive and flexible structure; strong communications mechanism and net work across structural boundaries. Decision processes: broad strategic, as opposed to narrowly and earlier involvement of technical goals; greater and earlier involvement of the operational workforce; top management support and commitment and the presence of a champion; cooperation among units; slow, gradual radical incorporation of the innovation. Technology fit: familiarity with the new technology and availability of relevant skills within the organization. Higher level of technical capabilities of the seller. Strong communications skills of the seller. Expertise in project management of the seller. Constructive cooperation between buyer and seller in implementation. Knowledge transfer: the buyer is involved in leaning, diagnosing, and shaping usage patterns of the buyer. Intensive networking within and across industries leading to greater exposure to innovations. Fig.3. Change management considerations (Source: Kuruppuarachchi et al., 2002). Case Study -I Pantaloon: ERP in Retail More than eight years after it forayed into the retail business, Pantaloon Retail decided to implement SAP to keep itself competitive in the rapidly growing Indian retail market. Store operations have never been as important to retailers as they were then. Successful retailers are those who know that the battle for customers is only won at the frontline, which in the case of a retail chain is at its stores. Pantaloon was regularly opening stores in metros and there was an urgent need for a reliable enterprise wide application to help run its business effectively. The basic need was to have a robust transaction management system and an enterprise wide platform to run the operations, says Rakesh Biyani, Director, Pantaloon. The Solution The company was looking for a solution that would bring all its businesses and processes together. After a comprehensive evaluation of different options and software companies, the management at Pantaloon decided to go in for SAP. Some of the qualities of SAP retail solutions are that it supports product development, which includes ideation, trend analysis, and collaboration with partners in the supply chain; sourcing and procurement, which involves working with manufacturers to fulfill order according to strategic merchandising plans and optimize cost, quality, and speed-variables that must be weighted differently as business needs, buying plans, and market demand patterns change; managing the supply chain, which involves handling the logistics of moving finished good from the source into stores and overseeing global trade and procurement requirements; selling goods across a variety of channels to customers, which requires marketing and brand management; managing mark-downs and capt uring customer reactions, analyzing data, and using it to optimize the next phase of the design process. In a Nutshell Aim To deploy a robust transaction management system and an enterprise wide platform to run its operations. Solution SAP retail solution Implemented by SAP team with the help of Novasoft, Singapore Number of users Around 1,200 Time taken About six months Cost of implementation A $ 10 million Implementation The implementation was outsourced to a third party. The implementation was done by the SAP team with help of Novasoft which is based at Singapore, says Core Team Member. This project was headed by Pantaloons Chief Information Technology Officer, Chinar Deshpande. Some people from Pantaloon assisted in the project and twenty four qualified people worked on the SAP implementation. Three Phases SAP implementation in Pantaloon was not a single phase process. The project was divided into three phases. The first phase of implementation involved blueprinting of existing processes and mapping them to the desired state. In this phase, the entire project team worked on current processes within Pantaloon Retail. The various existing processes were thoroughly analyzed and drafted. This blueprint was later used in the formation of new states of the solution. Since the SAP would combine all the processes, each and every one of these had to be evaluated. In the second phase, the SAP platform was developed with the help of Novasofts template which was predefined by SAP after evaluation of Pantaloons needs and expertise in retail solutions. The last phase in this project was for stores to switch over to the new system and for current data to be ported. Before the SAP implementation, all the data was unorganized. This data had to be migrated to the new SAP application. The project was flagged off on 15th June 2005 and took about six months to finish. It went live at the head office on 1st January 2006. The Pantaloon Retail stores used SAP from 1st January 2006 to 30th June 2006. Benefits and Challenges The key challenges in this project were not in the implementation. Rather, the difficulties were faced during the data migration and in managing the interim period when the project was underway for about six months. Migrating unorganized data to an organized format was a challenging task. SAP General Ledger gives Pantaloon a higher level of transparency into individual operations and helps it continually drive productivity improvements across the enterprise. For example, Pantaloon can now automatically split accounting line items per document for each company profit center. These transactions are handled by the software,and the company no longer needs to make period adjustments to balance sheet and profit and loss statements. With the document splitting tool, Pantaloon now has a real-time, complete picture of its accounts receivables and payables across all operational levels, which has enabled it to reduce receivables by up to 10%. In addition, it is now able to close the monthly books 20% faster, due to tight integration between financials and controlling components and real-time reconciliation capabilities. The application is currently being used by around 1,200 employees across the organization. For maintaining this implementation and its related applications, Pantaloon has an in-house team and it has outsourced ABAP resources. ERP system relied greatly on this in-house team for training its employees (at every level) and extracting benefits from ERP. The system runs on a HP Superdome server on HP UNIX 11 and the database is from Oracle. The cost of this project was about $ 10 million. Future projects After the successful implementation of SAP for its retail chain, Pantaloon plans to go ahead with IT projects such as implementation of WMS with RFID, Customer Intelligence and CRM. Inventory and Promotions Optimization are being pursued. Case Study II Ace Designers Ltd. ERP reduces manufacturing costs by 20% for Industrial Equipment manufacturer Overview Since 1987, Ace Designers Limited, Indias manufacturer of CNC lathes and auto lathes, has been exporting machines around the world, including Brazil, Germany, United Kingdom and the United States. With growth, their largely manual systems started breaking down. They had no centralized purchasing department and means of sharing information, so company groups were paying different amounts for the same parts from the same vendor. Delivery dates were missed because of a lack of inventory control, and top management had little visibility to manufacturing process. The Challenge Ace needed a complete information system built around an ERP solution that would help manage every aspect of their manufacturing process-from purchasing and inventory to manufacturing, planning and preparing for ISO certification. The Solution Ace commissioned a comprehensive survey of the ERP market and Intuitive was selected for four major reasons: A 100 percent Microsoft platform, an easy-to-use graphical interface, excellent support, and scalable open architecture features that permitted the addition of users at any time. The consultants who evaluated Intuitive ERP and its competitors for ACE Designers concluded: Intuitive ERP is easy to install, interface, customize and maintain. It can be integrated seamlessly into any manufacturing environment and has a good scheduling flexibility and versatile options. It also has a definite ISO 9000 facilitation orientation. Ace Designers Results Ace started module wise implementation of Intuitive ERP in four phases, which were completed in four months. Intuitive ERPs graphical interface and integration with Microsoft Office and Access made it easy for Aces staff, which prior to this had virtually no computer experience, to learn and use the new system. And using Microsoft SQL Server as the database engine delivered speed and robustness necessary for their mission critical applications. Hence, employees support was a crucial factor that added to achievement of success in ERP implementation in the organization. We transformed the company from a practically nil computer culture to a total computerized system, said V. Chandra, General Manager of Ace. The learning curve for Intuitive ERP is reduced to well below that of other manufacturing systems because of graphical and interactive flow charts and complete context sensitive online help. Implementing Intuitive ERP led to dramatic improvements in every operational area: Managers now have the most current inventory and costing models available to them at all times, and they can set competitive pricing that ensures profitability. They are able to monitor online status of work orders for components, sub-assemblies and final assemblies. Improved Planning: With the previous manual planning system, it was difficult to coordinate customer requirements and design changes with production and assembly functions to meet the manufacturing schedule. Now there is seamless coordination between all departments while significantly reducing planning headcount. Prior to Intuitive ERP, there had been virtually no inventory management at Ace; information on non-moving or slow-moving items and stock values was not available. With new tools in place, manufacturing inventory has been reduced by 20 percent. With reports such as Purchase Price Variance, there is visibility of the cost of every purchased item. This has resulted in better price negotiation with suppliers resulting in a 20 percent price reduction. Intuitive ERP provides accurate data for making manufacturing decisions through reports that include online machine utilization, online work order status monitoring, online WIP components costing, online WIP sub-assembly costing and online labor utilization. Case Study III ERP Implementation Failure at HP Stanford engineers Bill Hewlett and David Packard started HP in California in 1938 as an electronic instruments company. Its first product was a resistance-capacity audio oscillator, an electronic instrument used to test sound equipment. During the 1940s, HPs products rapidly gained acceptance among engineers and scientists. HPs growth was aided by heavy purchases made by US government during the Second World War. In the 1980s, HP emerged as a major player in the computer industry, offering a full range of computers from desktop machines to powerful minicomputers. This decade saw the development of successful products like the Inkjet and LaserJet printers. HP introduced its first personal computer (PC) in 1981, followed by an electronic mail system in1982. This was first major wide-area commercial network that was based on a minicomputer. HP introduced its HP 9000 computer with 32-bit super chip. HP became leader in workstations with the purchase of market leader, Apollo Computers, in 1989. In August 2004, HP announced that its revenues for the third quarter and it was identified that its Enterprise Servers and Storage (ESS) segment had gone down by 5% (amounting $ 3.4 billion) as compared to the same quarter the previous year. The company attributed this revenue shortfall mainly to the problems faced because of migration to a centralized ERP system at one of its North American divisions. The total financial impact of the failure including backlogs and lost revenue was pegged at $ 16

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Essay on the Characters in The Awakening -- Chopin Awakening Essays

Importance of the Characters in The Awakening  Ã‚   The Awakening was a very exciting and motivating story. It contains some of the key motivational themes that launched the women’s movement. It was incredible to see how women were not only oppressed, but how they had become so accustomed to it, that they were nearly oblivious to the oppression. The one woman, Edna Pontellier, who dared to have her own feelings was looked upon as being mentally ill. The pressure was so great, that in the end, the only way that she felt she could be truly free was to take her own life.   In this paper I am going to concentrate on the characters central in Edna’s life and her relationships with them. Leonce Pontellier, the character portraying Edna’s husband was a man very traditional in his thinking. He was self-absorbed and honestly did not see the fault in his own ways. He sincerely believed that Edna was the most important person in his life. However we notice throughout the story that his behavior was in direct contrast with that statement. Edna is only important to him, as in how she effects him and the effect her actions has on his life. If we look at chapter three, Leonce comes home in the middle of the night, awakening his wife whom is fast asleep. He immediately beings to give her the details of his day. When she is unable to fully reply, because she is half asleep, he becomes upset. He states that she is the sole object of his existence and he is upset that she takes so little interest in his concerns. If she was indeed the sole object of his existence, he would have been more considerate than to awaken her in the middle of the night, because he wanted to talk. Also look at chapter 32, when Leonce, learns that Edna is mov... ...e will never have a taste of life’s delirium. Could this mean that as long as you do not take risks, float on the edge and cease being content, you do not truly live or enjoy the â€Å"craziness† of life? More similar to Edna is Mademoiselle Reisz. Like Edna, Mademoiselle. Reisz was a free spirit who did not agree with oppression of women at that time. She was looked upon as being weird and mentally disturbed. Something was definitely wrong with a woman who did not care what others thought and whom chose her own path in life. Mademoiselle Reisz inspired Edna to be true to herself and defy the norms. It was very appropriate that the ending scene took place at the sea, for it was ion the sea when Edna experienced her first taste of freedom (see Chapter ten). Edna finally empowered herself by deciding her own fate, instead of allowing others to choose it for her.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

The Host Chapter 29: Betrayed

Maybe I should have run the other way. But no one was holding me back now, and though his voice was cold and angry, Jared was calling to me. Melanie was even more eager than I was as I stepped carefully around the corner and into the blue light; I hesitated there. Ian stood just a few feet ahead of me, poised on the balls of his feet, ready for whatever hostile movement Jared might make toward me. Jared sat on the ground, on one of the mats Jamie and I had left here. He looked as weary as Ian, though his eyes, too, were more alert than the rest of his exhausted posture. â€Å"At ease,† Jared said to Ian. â€Å"I just want to talk to it. I promised the kid, and I'll stand by that promise.† â€Å"Where's Kyle?† Ian demanded. â€Å"Snoring. Your cave might shake apart from the vibrations.† Ian didn't move. â€Å"I'm not lying, Ian. And I'm not going to kill it. Jeb is right. No matter how messed up this stupid situation is, Jamie has as much say as I do, and he's been totally suckered, so I doubt he'll be giving me the go-ahead anytime soon.† â€Å"No one's been suckered,† Ian growled. Jared waved his hand, dismissing the disagreement over terminology. â€Å"It's not in any danger from me, is my point.† For the first time he looked at me, evaluating the way I hugged the far wall, watching my hands tremble. â€Å"I won't hurt you again,† he said to me. I took a small step forward. â€Å"You don't have to talk to him if you don't want to, Wanda,† Ian said quickly. â€Å"This isn't a duty or a chore to be done. It's not mandatory. You have a choice.† Jared's eyebrows pulled low over his eyes-Ian's words confused him. â€Å"No,† I whispered. â€Å"I'll talk to him.† I took another short step. Jared turned his hand palm up and curled his fingers twice, encouraging me forward. I walked slowly, each step an individual movement followed by a pause, not part of a steady advance. I stopped a yard away from him. Ian shadowed each step, keeping close to my side. â€Å"I'd like to talk to it alone, if you don't mind,† Jared said to him. Ian planted himself. â€Å"I do mind.† â€Å"No, Ian, it's okay. Go get some sleep. I'll be fine.† I nudged his arm lightly. Ian scrutinized my face, his expression dubious. â€Å"This isn't some death wish? Sparing the kid?† he demanded. â€Å"No. Jared wouldn't lie to Jamie about this.† Jared scowled when I said his name, the sound of it full of confidence. â€Å"Please, Ian,† I pleaded. â€Å"I want to talk to him.† Ian looked at me for a long minute, then turned to scowl at Jared. He barked out each sentence like an order. â€Å"Her name is Wanda, not it. You will not touch her. Any mark you leave on her, I will double on your worthless hide.† I winced at the threat. Ian turned abruptly and stalked into the darkness. It was silent for a moment as we both watched the empty space where he had disappeared. I looked at Jared's face first, while he still stared after Ian. When he turned to meet my gaze, I dropped my eyes. â€Å"Wow. He's not kidding, is he?† Jared said. I treated that as a rhetorical question. â€Å"Why don't you have a seat?† he asked me, patting the mat be-side him. I deliberated for a moment, then went to sit against the same wall but close to the hole, putting the length of the mat between us. Melanie didn't like this; she wanted to be near him, for me to smell his scent and feel the warmth of his body beside me. I did not want that-and it wasn't because I was afraid he would hurt me; he didn't look angry at the moment, only tired and wary. I just didn't want to be any closer to him. Something in my chest was hurting to have him so near-to have him hating me in such close proximity. He watched me, his head tilted to the side; I could only meet his gaze fleetingly before I had to look away. â€Å"I'm sorry about last night-about your face. I shouldn't have done that.† I stared at my hands, knotted together in a double fist on my lap. â€Å"You don't have to be afraid of me.† I nodded, not looking at him. He grunted. â€Å"Thought you said you would talk to me?† I shrugged. I couldn't find my voice with the weight of his antagonism in the air between us. I heard him move. He scooted down the mat until he sat right beside me-the way Melanie had hoped for. Too close-it was hard to think straight, hard to breathe right-but I couldn't bring myself to scoot away. Oddly, for this was what she'd wanted in the first place, Melanie was suddenly irritated. What? I asked, startled by the intensity of her emotion. I don't like him next to you. It doesn't feel right. I don't like the way you want him there. For the first time since we'd abandoned civilization together, I felt waves of hostility emanating from her. I was shocked. That was hardly fair. â€Å"I just have one question,† Jared said, interrupting us. I met his gaze and then shied away-recoiling both from his hard eyes and from Melanie's resentment. â€Å"You can probably guess what it is. Jeb and Jamie spent all night jabbering at me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I waited for the question, staring across the dark hall at the rice bag-last night's pillow. In my peripheral vision, I saw his hand come up, and I cringed into the wall. â€Å"I'm not going to hurt you,† he said again, impatient, and cupped my chin in his rough hand, pulling my face around so I had to look at him. My heart stuttered when he touched me, and there was suddenly too much moisture in my eyes. I blinked, trying to clear them. â€Å"Wanda.† He said my name slowly-unwillingly, I could tell, though his voice was even and toneless. â€Å"Is Melanie still alive-still part of you? Tell me the truth.† Melanie attacked with the brute strength of a wrecking ball. It was physically painful, like the sudden stab of a migraine headache, where she tried to force her way out. Stop it! Can't you see? It was so obvious in the set of his lips, the tight lines under his eyes. It didn't matter what I said or what she said. I'm already a liar to him, I told her. He doesn't want the truth-he's just looking for evidence, some way to prove me a liar, a Seeker, to Jeb and Jamie so that he'll be allowed to kill me. Melanie refused to answer or believe me; it was a struggle to keep her silent. Jared watched the sweat bead on my forehead, the strange shiver that shook down my spine, and his eyes narrowed. He held on to my chin, refusing to let me hide my face. Jared, I love you, she tried to scream. I'm right here. My lips didn't quiver, but I was surprised that he couldn't read the words spelled out plainly in my eyes. Time passed slowly while he waited for my answer. It was agonizing, having to stare into his eyes, having to see the revulsion there. As if that weren't enough, Melanie's anger continued to slice at me from the inside. Her jealousy swelled into a bitter flood that washed through my body and left it polluted. More time passed, and the tears welled up until they couldn't be contained in my eyes anymore. They spilled over onto my cheeks and rolled silently into Jared's palm. His expression didn't change. Finally, I'd had enough. I closed my eyes and jerked my head down. Rather than hurt me, he dropped his hand. He sighed, frustrated. I expected he would leave. I stared at my hands again, waiting for that. My heartbeat marked the passing minutes. He didn't move. I didn't move. He seemed carved out of stone beside me. It fit him, this stonelike stillness. It fit his new, hard expression, the flint in his eyes. Melanie pondered this Jared, comparing him with the man he used to be. She remembered an unremarkable day on the run†¦ â€Å"Argh!† Jared and Jamie groan together. Jared lounges on the leather sofa and Jamie sprawls on the carpet in front of him. They're watching a basketball game on the big-screen TV. The para-sites who live in this house are at work, and we've already filled the jeep with all it can hold. We have hours to rest before we need to disappear again. On the TV, two players are disagreeing politely on the sideline. The cameraman is close; we can hear what they're saying. â€Å"I believe I was the last one to touch it-it's your ball.† â€Å"I'm not sure about that. I wouldn't want to take any unfair advantage. We'd better have the refs review the tape.† The players shake hands, pat each other's shoulders. â€Å"This is ridiculous,† Jared grumbles. â€Å"I can't stand it,† Jamie agrees, mirroring Jared's tone perfectly; he sounds more like Jared every day-one of the many forms his hero worship has taken. â€Å"Is there anything else on?† Jared flips through a few channels until he finds a track and field meet. The parasites are holding the Olympics in Haiti right now. From what we can see, the aliens are all hugely excited about it. Lots of them have Olympic flags outside their houses. It's not the same, though. Everyone who participates gets a medal now. Pathetic. But they can't really screw up the hundred-meter dash. Individual parasite sports are much more entertaining than when they try to compete against each other directly. They perform better in separate lanes. â€Å"Mel, come relax,† Jared calls. I stand by the back door out of habit, not because I'm tensed to run. Not because I'm frightened. Empty habit, nothing more. I go to Jared. He pulls me onto his lap and tucks my head under his chin. â€Å"Comfortable?† he asks. â€Å"Yes,† I say, because I really, truly am entirely comfortable. Here, in an alien's house. Dad used to say lots of funny things-like he was speaking his own language sometimes. Twenty-three skidoo, salad days, nosy parker, bandbox fresh, the catbird seat, chocolate teapot, and something about Grandma sucking eggs. One of his favorites was safe as houses. Teaching me to ride a bike, my mother worrying in the doorway: â€Å"Calm down, Linda, this street is safe as houses.† Convincing Jamie to sleep without his nightlight: â€Å"It's safe as houses in here, son, not a monster for miles.† Then overnight the world turned into a hideous nightmare, and the phrase became a black joke to Jamie and me. Houses were the most dangerous places we knew. Hiding in a patch of scrubby pines, watching a car pull out from the garage of a secluded home, deciding whether to make a food run, whether it was too dicey. â€Å"Do you think the parasites'll be gone for long?† â€Å"No way-that place is safe as houses. Let's get out of here.† And now I can sit here and watch TV like it is five years ago and Mom and Dad are in the other room and I've never spent a night hiding in a drainpipe with Jamie and a bunch of rats while body snatchers with spotlights search for the thieves who made off with a bag of dried beans and a bowl of cold spaghetti. I know that if Jamie and I survived alone for twenty years we would never find this feeling on our own. The feeling of safety. More than safety, even-happiness. Safe and happy, two things I thought I'd never feel again. Jared makes us feel that way without trying, just by being Jared. I breathe in the scent of his skin and feel the warmth of his body under mine. Jared makes everything safe, everything happy. Even houses. He still makes me feel safe, Melanie realized, feeling the warmth where his arm was just half an inch from mine. Though he doesn't even know I'm here. I didn't feel safe. Loving Jared made me feel less safe than anything else I could think of. I wondered if Melanie and I would have loved Jared if he'd always been who he was now, rather than the smiling Jared in our memories, the one who had come to Melanie with his hands full of hope and miracles. Would she have followed him if he'd always been so hard and cynical? If the loss of his laughing father and wild big brothers had iced him over the way nothing but Melanie's loss had? Of course. Mel was certain. I would love Jared in any form. Even like this, he belongs with me. I wondered if the same held true for me. Would I love him now if he were like this in her memory? Then I was interrupted. Without any cue that I perceived, suddenly Jared was talking, speaking as if we were in the middle of a conversation. â€Å"And so, because of you, Jeb and Jamie are convinced that it's possible to continue some kind of awareness after†¦ being caught. They're both sure Mel's still kicking in there.† He rapped his fist lightly against my head. I flinched away from him, and he folded his arms. â€Å"Jamie thinks she's talking to him.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Not really fair to play the kid like that-but that's assuming a sense of ethics that clearly does not apply.† I wrapped my arms around myself. â€Å"Jeb does have a point, though-that's what's killing me! What are you after? The Seekers' search wasn't well directed or even†¦ suspicious. They only seemed to be looking for you-not for us. So maybe they didn't know what you were up to. Maybe you're freelancing? Some kind of undercover thing. Or†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It was easier to ignore him when he was speculating so foolishly. I focused on my knees. They were dirty, as usual, purple and black. â€Å"Maybe they're right-about the killing-you part, anyway.† Unexpectedly, his fingers brushed lightly once across the goose bumps his words had raised on my arm. His voice was softer when he spoke again. â€Å"Nobody's going to hurt you now. As long as you aren't causing any trouble†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged. â€Å"I can sort of see their point, and maybe, in a sick way, it would be wrong, like they say. Maybe there is no justifiable reason to†¦ Except that Jamie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My head flipped up-his eyes were sharp, scrutinizing my reaction. I regretted showing interest and watched my knees again. â€Å"It scares me how attached he's getting,† Jared muttered. â€Å"Shouldn't have left him behind. I never imagined†¦ And I don't know what to do about it now. He thinks Mel's alive in there. What will it do to him when†¦?† I noticed how he said when, not if. No matter what promises he'd made, he didn't see me lasting in the long term. â€Å"I'm surprised you got to Jeb,† he reflected, changing the subject. â€Å"He's a canny old guy. He sees through deceptions so easily. Till now.† He thought about that for a minute. â€Å"Not much for conversation, are you?† There was another long silence. His words came in a sudden gush. â€Å"The part that keeps bugging me is what if they're right? How the hell would I know? I hate the way their logic makes sense to me. There's got to be another explanation.† Melanie struggled again to speak, not as viciously as before, this time without hope of breaking through. I kept my arms and lips locked. Jared moved, shifting away from the wall so that his body was turned toward me. I watched the movement from the corner of my eye. â€Å"Why are you here?† he whispered. I peeked up at his face. It was gentle, kind, almost the way Melanie remembered it. I felt my control slipping; my lips trembled. Keeping my arms locked took all my strength. I wanted to touch his face. I wanted it. Melanie did not like this. If you won't let me talk, then at least keep your hands to yourself, she hissed. I'm trying. I'm sorry. I was sorry. This was hurting her. We were both hurting, different hurts. It was hard to know who had it worse at the moment. Jared watched me curiously while my eyes filled again. â€Å"Why?† he asked softly. â€Å"You know, Jeb has this crazy idea that you're here for me and Jamie. Isn't that nuts?† My mouth half-opened; I quickly bit down on my lip. Jared leaned forward slowly and took my face between both his hands. My eyes closed. â€Å"Won't you tell me?† My head shook once, fast. I wasn't sure who did it. Was it me saying won't or Melanie saying can't? His hands tightened under my jaw. I opened my eyes, and his face was inches away from mine. My heart fluttered, my stomach dropped-I tried to breathe, but my lungs did not obey. I recognized the intention in his eyes; I knew how he would move, exactly how his lips would feel. And yet it was so new to me, a first more shocking than any other, as his mouth pressed against mine. I think he meant just to touch his lips to mine, to be soft, but things changed when our skin met. His mouth was abruptly hard and rough, his hands trapped my face to his while his lips moved mine in urgent, unfamiliar patterns. It was so different from remembering, so much stronger. My head swam incoherently. The body revolted. I was no longer in control of it-it was in control of me. It was not Melanie-the body was stronger than either of us now. Our breathing echoed loudly: mine wild and gasping, his fierce, almost a snarl. My arms broke free from my control. My left hand reached for his face, his hair, to wind my fingers in it. My right hand was faster. Was not mine. Melanie's fist punched his jaw, knocked his face away from mine with a blunt, low sound. Flesh against flesh, hard and angry. The force of it was not enough to move him far, but he scrambled away from me the instant our lips were no longer connected, gaping with horrorstruck eyes at my horrorstruck expression. I stared down at the still-clenched fist, as repulsed as if I'd found a scorpion growing on the end of my arm. A gasp of revulsion choked its way out of my throat. I grabbed the right wrist with my left hand, desperate to keep Melanie from using my body for violence again. I glanced up at Jared. He was staring at the fist I restrained, too, the horror fading, surprise taking its place. In that second, his expression was entirely defenseless. I could easily read his thoughts as they moved across his unlocked face. This was not what he had expected. And he'd had expectations; that was plain to see. This had been a test. A test he'd thought he was prepared to evaluate. A test with results he'd anticipated with confidence. But he'd been surprised. Did that mean pass or fail? The pain in my chest was not a surprise. I already knew that a breaking heart was more than an exaggeration. In a fight-or-flight situation, I never had a choice; it would always be flight for me. Because Jared was between me and the darkness of the tunnel exit, I wheeled and threw myself into the box-packed hole. The boxes crunched, crackled, and cracked as my weight shoved them into the wall, into the floor. I wriggled my way into the impossible space, twisting around the heavier squares and crushing the others. I felt his fingers scrape across my foot as he made a grab for my ankle, and I kicked one of the more solid boxes between us. He grunted, and despair wrapped choking hands around my throat. I hadn't meant to hurt him again; I hadn't meant to strike. I was only trying to escape. I didn't hear my own sobbing, loud as it was, until I could go no farther into the crowded hole and the sound of my thrashing stopped. When I did hear myself, heard the ragged, tearing gasps of agony, I was mortified. So mortified, so humiliated. I was horrified at myself, at the violence I'd allowed to flow through my body, whether consciously or not, but that was not why I was sobbing. I was sobbing because it had been a test, and, stupid, stupid, stupid, emotional creature that I was, I wanted it to be real. Melanie was writhing in agony inside me, and it was hard to make sense of the double pain. I felt as though I was dying because it was not real; she felt as though she was dying because, to her, it had felt real enough. In all that she'd lost since the end of her world, so long ago, she'd never before felt betrayed. When her father had brought the Seekers after his children, she'd known it was not him. There was no betrayal, only grief. Her father was dead. But Jared was alive and himself. No one's betrayed you, stupid, I railed at her. I wanted her pain to stop. It was too much, the extra burden of her agony. Mine was enough. How could he? How? she ranted, ignoring me. We sobbed, beyond control. One word snapped us back from the edge of hysteria. From the mouth of the hole, Jared's low, rough voice-broken and strangely childlike-asked, â€Å"Mel?†

Friday, November 8, 2019

Political polling essays

Political polling essays The web site I chose to critique explains political polling and the statistical process behind the polling numbers. This was of particular interest to me, because I like many other Americans have never been asked nor know of anyone that has been asked a political question used in political polling. In short, the site explains what the numbers actually mean. The site uses a fictional mayoral election to explain the numbers. Also, it discusses margin of error and how it affects the polls. Next, the site goes on to clarify confidence. Finally, elucidation on what can go wrong in the polling process is discussed. In the fictional case Republican Stephanie Higgins was running against two-term incumbent, Democrat Webster Fletcher. Once Higgins formally announced she was running for mayor, the polls showed that Fletcher would win with 56% of the vote. However, six months before the election the mayoral race was tightening up. The polls showed that Fletcher continued to have a slight lead of 3%, with a margin of error of +/- 5%. The site raised the question of whether or not Fletcher actually had a lead if the margin of error is +/- 5%. Three months before the election Higgins took a 15% lead in the polls with same margin of error. Oddly enough, the day before the election some polls showed Higgins winning by a landslide. As expected it was a close election. The lead changed hands several times. However, Higgins pulled ahead and won the election in its last moments. To begin the site discusses the importance of the random sampling used in political polling. In class we defined a random sample as, everything in the sample stands the same chance of being selected at any point and any time. A great example was given on the site. If a doctor wants to figure out a patients white blood cell count, the doctor doesnt drain out all the patients blood and count the white blood cells. The doctor randomly samples the patients blo...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Essay on Interpersonal communicationEssay Writing Service

Essay on Interpersonal communicationEssay Writing Service Essay on Interpersonal communication Essay on Interpersonal communicationDear Mr. and Mrs. X,I am writing to you to remind of the importance of interpersonal communication and its impact on familial relations. In fact, the lack of the effective interpersonal communication between spouses as well as between other family members is one of the major causes of conflicts and problems within the family. As far as I know, you do have problems in your interpersonal relations and your family life is not perfect at the moment. Probably you underestimate the significance of interpersonal relations as many spouses do, especially, if they live together for a long time. At this point, I would like to mention that one of the main challenges for your interpersonal relations is your experience of living together which has shaped deep-rooted habits. You have just accustomed to each other to the extent that you have stopped to communicate with each other effectively because you believe you know what each of us is thinking or wanting to sa y.I would recommend you to think carefully about each other’s actions and words since you may be offending in relation to each other. Moreover, you may lose the effective interpersonal communication because you are too accustomed to each other. As a result, you may face serious communication gaps that may cause serious conflicts within your family and your spousal relations.In such a situation, I would offer you several recommendations which could have helped you to enhance your interpersonal communication and, thus, improve your family life. First of all, I would encourage you to start talking to each other. Don’t be afraid to be the first, who starts talking and raise serious issues which do matter for your family life and for you in person. You may start from talking on issues that are significant but not crucial for your interpersonal relations and that are not likely to cause disputes and conflicts between you. Steadily, you should start talking about your problem s and issues which really disturb you and affect the quality of your life. Just try to talk first. At the same time, try not to slip to a dispute with each other. Instead, stay focused on what you are saying. Try not to be offensive in relation to your spouse and use simple words and clear arguments.At the same time, I would highly recommend you to learn to listen to each other. The ability to listen and listening skills are crucial for you to understand each other. If you fail to understand what your spouse actually wants to say you, you are likely to be unable to maintain effective communication. In this regard, I would recommend you to evaluate critically what you hear and view those words from the standpoint of your spouse. In such a way, you will be able to understand your spouse better, if you understand what he or she feels about the issue you discuss.Finally, I expect my assistance will help you to enhance your communication with each other. At any rate, I will do my best to help you to resolve your problems and conflicts, but you should remember that the recovery of your familial ties and interpersonal communication starts from yourself. So, don’t be afraid to make the first move.Sincerely,Name.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Globalisation - Essay Example From this perspective, functionalism describes the social order from a majority viewpoint, as opposed to looking at the fulfillment of every individual within a society. This paper will define the extent to which functionalism explains the main social order within society. Functionalism as Social Order The main attribute of functionalism is based on the attribute of showing what a large group of individuals did within a given culture and how this helped with the overall function within the culture. This is further described by different levels of functions, specifically which are divided by a variety of theorists. For instance, Merton (Harrington, 2005) states that functions can be divided into latent functions and manifest functions. The latent group is based on the social orders which were unintentional and didn’t depict the overall needs or functions within society. The manifest functions are the ones which describe more of the social order because of the institutional rela tionship to the function. The institution is able to show that it is planned, intentional and can be used to manifest specific actions within society. The manifest functions are able to depict the order of society and are used to describe institutional measures over the actions of groups of individuals (Harrington, 2005). Defining Social Action The concept of action as the manifestation of social order then leads into the understanding of what the manifestations include and how they define or are disregarded in understanding structure and functionalism. The concept of social action is one which has to be defined as an act which takes place and which is verified by others who have seen the same social action. More important, the fact has to be something that is done within society. If it is to define order, then it has to show how this particular fact, item or action is done by the majority of society or is something which is repetitive and practiced within the society. Without this, it doesn’t become a function that is within society and isn’t a part of the social order (Parsons, 1949). An example of this is with politics. If the United States has a bill of rights protecting freedom of speech, then this becomes a fact because it is defined by the political institution and the expectation for society to follow this bill. More important, those in society state that they practice freedom of speech through the press or other means. The freedom of speech defines the social order more by the actions which result and relate to this, all which manifest more of the approach taken for this political action and the functionalism which is attributed to the fact. The manifestation and the continuous social actions seen in newspapers, media and other sources show this is a part of the social order. The concept of social action within society is furthered by defining how this relates to different groups in society, some which may not link to the institutions. T here are two ideals which begin to form with social action and the contemporary attributes. When looking at social order from a historical perspective, it is easier to define functionalism, specifically because history only

Friday, November 1, 2019

Socialism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Socialism - Essay Example Marx argues that unlike capitalism, which promotes competition the quest to make as much profit as possible as well as undercut ones rivals and if need be drive them out of business, communism promotes corporation (Marx 276). This is a reasonable point; in fact, one of the main challenges of capitalism is the high competition which at times results in the ruining of business by their rivals. Additionally, since this is spurred by the need to maximize profits these capitalism ultimately ends up exploiting the workers who are sacrificed for the sake of bigger profits. His critique of private property is also very well thought out and if it were adapted, it would solve much of the conflict that occurs in capitalism dominated world as many people struggle for the few available resources. He argues that limiting private ownership would render irrelevant the need for individuals to exploit others in the quest for wealth since all would be owned collectively, he suggests that if all propert y was taken away from the hands of a chosen few, it would eliminate the desire and even reason for exploitation. Ideally this would be true, however the premises under which such a situation can be applied cannot exist under normal circumstances. Consider if property was communally owned, it would need to managed and developed and some people would have more responsibly than others in those duties. A skilled engineer will likely have to work harder and longer in a factory than a non-skilled laborer for instance, as a result, if we follow Marx’s argument to its logical conclusion, It would mean that those who do most of the work and those who hardly contribute at all would own equal shares in the property. Ultimately, it would not result in elimination, but simply inversion of the exploitation, this is because, there are those who will be working hard and getting the same amount as those who do not put in nearly as much effort. The argument against Marx’s position on pr ivatization of property can also be applied on the concept of equality in division of labor where ideally everyone would get the same wage, eventually, someone will be exploited. This is because the assumption that equal distribution of labor and pay can be achieved does not take to account the improbableness of equality of skills and responsibility. This argument flies in the face of logic and as aforementioned can only be envisioned in an utopian society; the main reason why communism has failed to take root in any society apart from direct opposition by capitalism is its inherent unsustainability. In Marx’s assumption, communism disregards the fact that its main tenets are directly in opposition of the very nature of the humans it intend to exist in it. Human beings will always want to compete with each other there will always be classes since we cannot be all equal. Capitalism gives people the freedom to compete and lord over each other, in as much as it is exploitative t o the workers, the same would be said of communism owing to the evident impossibility of logically dividing labor equally in a society whose populace possess unequal skills. While taking cognizance of the fact that Marx is right in many ways about the unequal and exploitive nature of capitalism, his conjecture on communism does not essentially provide workable alternative to capitalism. Rather

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

The History of Saudi Women In Sports Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The History of Saudi Women In Sports - Essay Example You would never find any women spectator in any sports event in Saudi Arabia. History of women participation in Saudi Arabian sports would only furnish a blank page. The celebrated participation of Saudi Arabian women in the London Olympics is just the result of the brilliant strategy of International Olympic Committee. They need men and women participation from each and every country. Thanks to International Olympic Committee, for they made the impossible possible. Participation of women in sports is considered as a negligence of Islamic laws concerning women. Hard rules for women in Saudi Arabia pushed them to the backyard. Sports became something that is exclusively for men in Saudi Arabia. After 2012 Olympic in London, women of Saudi Arabia made a determined move to persuade lawmakers to allow a better participation of women in sports. They fought for women participation in sports, promising a compliance with Islamic rules. The changing perspectives about the participation of women in sports have enabled the participation of women in different international sports competitions. Saudi Arabia agreed to the women participation in sports because of the international pressure to enable female participation in sports. Even though the conservatives did not remain silent to the new move, the nation had to allow its female athletes to participate in the London Olympics. Saudi Clerics made a big protest against female participation, stating that improper clothing and immodest movement in sports activities would destroy the purity and morality of Saudi women who are supposed to follow the Islamic rules concerning women. According to them vigorous movements would hamper the health and purity of Islamic women. The cruel and insane gender apartheid followed in Saudi Arabia gave no room for women to involve in sports activities. A certain move that planned women’s sports activities as a part of Ramadan celebrations was highly rebuked by clerics and